What's going on at Dulce Refugio
I know that many people have passed through this orphanage and left their mark at Dulce Refugio. I want to keep all of you informed about what is going on with the kids and the construction process. Please remember to keep us in your thoughts and prayers; I hope you continue to help us out here at Casa Hogar Dulce Refugio. Gracias amigos!
October was a great month. I turned one year older, we made big advancements in the construction, our girls are doing really well in school and we welcomed many new faces to the orphanage. It's a blessing to be involved in so many great ministries!
I celebrated my 37th birthday on October 1st. People from the church threw me a surprise party and we had pizza and cake. It was great to spend my special day with my church family. I have grown to love these people and the ministry that we are doing very much. I'm a blessed man!
In the construction...
I welded the two zig zag beams that will be supporting the majority of the weight of our roof and Pastor Tino helped with the painting. These are two HUGE steel beams that are each over 50 feet long. Soon we will have to hire a crane to lift them up and set them on steel columns. I'm really enjoying learning how to do all of these big jobs. It's great experience.
My helper, Jesús, put in our water cistern. He's getting pretty good at construction. I explained to him what to do and he did most of the work. Since we are in a small town the water gets shut off regularly. We now have a reserve in case that happens. We had to dig a deep hole in the ground and build walls around the cistern so the dirt can't collapse in and crush it.
At the transition home...
Our girls are doing very well in school. They both started High School in August and their 1st report cards were excellent! Ariana got a 94% average in all of her classes and Elvira came in at very close 2nd with 93%. I was so proud of them and to celebrate I took them to a Brazilian steakhouse. It's an all you can eat meat buffet and we left stuffed. None of us slept well that night....but it was definitely worth it!
Ariana had her 1st soccer game of the season. She is a very talented athlete and got a scholarship to play in a league. She enjoys soccer a lot and I'm glad that she can participate in things that make her happy.
At the orphanage...
Before
After
I had to fix one of the bridges on our castle. The castle is a really cool play area for the kids but it needed maintenance. There were were some really big holes in one of the bridges and we have little kids running around the orphanage which made it very dangerous. It was a fun project and I painted and installed new wood so the kids can once again have a safe area to play in.
We welcomed a total of 5 new girls this month:
Isabel, Nataly, & Sofia are sisters. They are good kids and it's a pleasure having them at Dulce Refugio. The oldest Sofia is very intelligent and helps out taking care of the boys. The middle sister, Isabel, is in my English class and she is a little shy to speak in English but she is understanding the lessons. And the youngest Nataly is very playful and she loves when I read Bible stories before bed.
Fernanda & Juana are sisters and came later in the month. Fernanda, the older of the two, seems very mature and is fitting in nicely. Juana is very playful and a sweet girl. We'll take good care of them while they're here with us.
Martha
Jocelyn
We said goodbye to 2 girls this month:
Martha had been with us for awhile. This was actually her 3rd or 4th time in the orphanage. In fact, her brother and sister have also been with us in the past. There are lots of problems in the family. I'm not sure about her situation, but I hope things get better and she can stop being bounced around and have some stability in her life. I will be praying for her and her siblings.
Jocelyn had also been with us for awhile...for over 2 years now. There were some family issues going on and she was relocated by the government agency who deals with these kids. I don't know all of the details but I wish her well.
And finally, I am happy to introduce Lia Daniela Maya Larios, who was born on October 16, 2020. She is the daughter of former staff member Pilar. Pilar and the father, Cesar, still regularly help out at Dulce Refugio and this is their 2nd child. She is adorable and I loved holding her with her tiny little toes and fingers. Welcome to the Dulce Refugio family Daniela!! And congratulations Pilar & Cesar!!
